Poteet Archtects, an award winning firm based in San Antonio, turned the top of this industrial building into a modern oasis. Jim Poteet opened the office with the hope that the firm could further the sustainable revitalization of downtown San Antonio. As you can see, they are best known for the sensitive adaptive reuse of existing buildings and rigorous approach to modern interior design.

The combination of smooth surfaces with the old, industrial materials left behind from the pre-existing structure give this interior depth and character. While the sleek contemporary furniture adds modern elegance. This floor lamp would be the perfect selection to get this look.

Among all the clean white surfaces, you will also find lots of fun color. Adding colorful furniture or home decor is a great way to add personality to a minimalist modern space.

Check out this perfect pendant chandelier (below) for achieving the clean and elegant look of this modern kitchen. Between the artwork, lighting and playful accents, this kitchen design is perfectly balanced.

Long summer days and hot summer nights are finally upon us and now is the time to maximize your modern outdoor living experience in your own backyard. The Nevis Pool and Garden Pavilion (above) can be used year round, but when the doors open up on this glass structure, that's when you're using it to its maximum potential. However, it's intended to provide shelter from the harsh natural elements, so when the heat is too much you can still enjoy the beautiful garden, views of the pool, and the natural surroundings from within this modern backyard pavilion.

The lush surroundings, modern pool, and organic outdoor structure create an environment that is so sculptural and serene. You can spend your days and your nights perched up above the pool like you're in a modern day treehouse. When the modern outdoor lighting is turned on just imagine the beauty of the glowing structure and pathway.

An escape to your outdoor oasis is sometimes just what the day calls for. This Polyhedron Habitable designed by Manuel Villa is not only a retreat, but a sculptural masterpiece that easily integrates into nature through it's use of materials. The glass front opens up to the teak deck deck while the skylight opens up to let the stars shine in.

The owners of the Kodaira-Shi Residence in Tokyo weren't so blessed to have the beautiful private outdoor oasis surrounded by nature, but their team did an amazing job of creating one. Suppose Design Office created this primitive tent like structure attached to the residential structure to blur the confines between the indoors and outdoors. They were able to create a very private and unique area in a space located on street level that offered no privacy to the homeowners. Imagine the landscaped garden yet to be completed! The concrete floors and shaded open plan are natural cooling elements. And on a hot summer day, the use of contemporary ceiling fans would really get the breeze flowing in there.

If you're planning on building a cabana or outdoor structure to relax in this summer I challenge you think outside the box!

As your resource for modern design, including modern lighting, furniture and home decor we can't help but appreciate great photography as artwork. You should no doubt be able to recognize all of these photographs because they represent historic moments in time, some happy and some solemn. They have all graced the walls of many homes, but the artist behind them is often never seen.

These portraits of photographers holding their groundbreaking photographs were shot by Tim Mantoani as part of a new book Behind Photographs: Archiving Photographic Legends. The book was created in an effort to prove that although photography is arguably a dying medium, when you see the best of the best, there is something really special to be acknowledged and respected.

In addition to seeing the face behind the photograph, what is also intriguing are the messages below each portrait. The photographers gave their notes on the photograph and how it impacted them. For example, in the image below the photographer behind that heart wrenching moment gives his thoughts on the day and his photograph that will live forever.

As these photographs continue to adorn the walls of all our homes, now this book is sure to land on many coffee tables as art in and of itself.

Summer is finally here and I hope you are all having a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! If you're not lucky enough to spend your time lounging in a fabulous modern infinity pool, let us help you imagine that you are. Whether you are spending your time in the desert (above)...

Designers, architects, interior designers, craftsmen, editors, manufacturers and more converged in New York last weekend (May 18-21) for Wanted Design at the historic Terminal Store in Chelsea. Focused on the exchange of ideas rather than products, the event found people engaged in lively practice and discussion throughout the weekend: students designed modern lighting fixtures, editors and designers engaged in a robust conversation series, and workshops and exhibitions focused on the creative and clever usage of materials new and old.

A highlight was Lightfalls (pictured above), a lighting installation between collaborators 3M Architectural Markets and designer Todd Bracher. The exhibition describes itself as a "high-end lighting installation that capitalizes on the laws of physics to distribute light from a single LED source over a dramatically, large space."

The complex symmetry of the Lightfalls installation is indicative of a trend in lighting fixtures toward eye-catching geometries, as in this pendant light (below) from the Possini Euro Collection.

Lighting was clearly high on the agenda at this year's event. The Design Students Challenge found students from six design schools (three from France and three from the United States) creating designer lighting fixtures under the constraints of using one material per design, one conceptual tool (computer software), and one fabrication tool (a laser cutting machine). Core 77 magazine, the media sponsor for the contest, posted photos of the contest on their website.

While most of the completed student designs landed squarely within established contemporary idioms, they were cleverly constructed and aesthetically refined. It was also clear as one looked over the results: contemporary chandeliers always make an excellent focal point for the room.

Manhattan Neon, who maintains a studio in the same building as Wanted Design, continued the trend toward lighting by providing three neon workshops during the event. It was great to see a throwback medium like neon used in a contemporary environment.

There were furniture design studios, vendors, technology providers, even a boutique bicycle designer on hand. All told, the event brought in approximately 50 exhibitors and sponsors and, while there was a commercial focus to some of the exhibition booths, this was very much a place to meet, exchange and create. This playful, collaborative environment bodes well for the event's future success, and I look forward to seeing even better things to come next year.